1) The GR"A, k'darko, in his peirush on Avos tries to bring sources for every statement in the Mishna. On the first Mishna in Avos which tells us that Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and give it over to Yehoshua, the GR"A points to a pasuk in our parsha,"V'nasata mei'hodcha alav," (27:20) as the source.
I don't understand -- who says "hodcha" means Torah? Rashi writes that it refers to the shine that emanated from Moshe's face. I don't see how the GR"A took this as a proof.
2) Chazal tell us that the zekeinim of the generation exclaimed, "Moshe is like the sun but Yehoshua is only like the moon -- oy lanu mei'osa busha!" It was a big letdown for them to switch leaders.
The Divrei Chaim (not me -- the real Divrei Chaim, the Sanzer Rav) writes that this is not the pshat in the gemara. I put the quotation marks in the wrong place. The zekeinim remaked, "Moshe is like the sun, Yehoshua only like the moon," end quotation. The gemara itself now comments: oy lanu mei'osa busha! Woe to us when we have leaders who are living in the past and looking in the past. "The old days were better; the Rabbi Emeritus was better," etc. We can't compare one generation to the next, one leader to the next. Yiftach b'doro k'Shmuel b'doro.
Anyway, anyone have a hesber for the GR"A?
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Tur Pirush hakatzur says
ReplyDeleteמהודך – בגי׳ הסוד לומר לך שמסר לו סוד המרכבה ומעשה בראשית
on the second vort the Torah Temimah says similar to the Divrei Chaim
http://mg.alhatorah.org/Full/Bemidbar/27.20#e1nf
1) would Moshe empower Yehoshua to command majestically, without teaching him Torah? would he formally hand his successor a shofar on Rosh HaShana and tell him 'blow your favorite tune'? [mei'hodcha as indirect proof]
ReplyDeleteSimilar to the Munkatcher that the latter phrase was said by the chachmim in the gemora the kotzker rebbe explains that the only statement said by the zekeinim was; “The face of Moses was as the face of the sun; the face of Yehoshuah was like the face of the moon.” The next line of “Woe for that embarrassment, woe for that disgrace” was said by the chachomim of the gemorah in response to what was the zekeinim`s insult of Yehoshuah. So while they still did give voice to a contrast between the two they at least did not go a step further by stating openly how shameful it is. It is rather the sages of the gemora who were stating how shameful they- the zekeinim- were.
ReplyDeleteA very different explanation given is that the zekeinim were not as much belittling Yehoshuah as they were belittling themselves and the rest of the people. Rav Issur Zalman Meltzer (cited in Talelei Oros) explains that the quality of a nation’s leader is dependent on the level of the people. When Klal Yisroel sinned by the Golden Calf Hashem told Moshe "Go, descend, for your people that you have brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly” (shemos 32:7) Rashi –citing the gemora (berachos 32a) writes “לך רד: מגדולתך, לא נתתי לך גדולה אלא בשבילם Go, descend: Descend from your high position. I gave you this high position only for their sake.” The Yalkut Yehudah (cited in iturei torah page 178) explains that for people to be able to identify with their leader and follow his example there needs to be some commonality between them. If he is too far above them, they will have a difficult time following. The contrast the zekeinim were making between Moshe Rabbeinu and Yehoshuah was not an indictment of the manhig-elect but rather of themselves and the rest of the nation. If Yehoshuah is a moon in comparison to Moshe it means that the generation is no longer worthy of such a great leader. “Woe to that embarrassment and disgrace” was self-referential and not said as an insult to Yehoshuah.
Rav Chaim Amram in his sefer Dvar Hamelech (ahavas shalom) (page 209) and Chida ( chasdei avos 1:1 ) explain
ReplyDeleteThere is no deep shame in Yehoshua, or any manhig yisroel, not living up to example that was set by Moshe. He was an ish elokim, a godly man to whom Hashem spoke “peh el peh”. Of course he shines like a star! After all, when he was borne chazal say “the whole house lit up”. (Rashi shemos 2:2) His stellar qualities are one of a kind. So Yehoshuah being a pale moon in comparison is not insulting, and the zekeinim were not bemoaning that. After all no-one can be a Moshe. What they were lamenting was why they were not at least like Yehoshuah.
In describing Yehoshuah the Torah write (shemos 33:11) “but his attendant, Yehoshuah, the son of Nun, a lad, would not depart from the tent”. The medresh (Bamidbar Raba 21:14) writes; [that Hashem told Moshe] “Yehoshuah served you much and gave you much honor; and he would come early and leave late your council chamber; he would arrange the benches and roll out the mats - since he served you with all of his strength, he is worthy to tend to Israel, so as to not lose his wage”. In other words, Yehoshuah spent all his time either with Moshe or helping out in any –even menial – ways. When he was designated as Moshe`s successor the other zekeinim were not impressed and did not think he was in any way superior to them. They just assumed he got the position because he was so helpful to Moshe.
Seeing now that his face radiated like the face of the moon, they realized that his devoted service, to his rebbe Moshe and others, paid off in spiritual dividends. Yehoshuah had arisen to a higher level and was truly superior to them. They had all been the students of Moshe and were all similar to one another. They now recalled his selfless service to Moshe as well as the menial work of setting the benches and mats for others. They had felt that such serving of moshe –and others was beneath them. They were after all, in Yeshiva! They now realized that the menial work and and attending to moshe, for which they had scorn and disdain, is what led to Yehoshuah`s transcendence.
They therefore cried: woe to that embarrassment, woe to that disgrace”. They now realized that the work that they had formerly dismissed as embarrassing and a disgrace was the key to Yehoshua`s advancement. They are bemoaning the great achievement that could have been theirs as well.
In line with this, the Chofeitz Chaim explains the double expression; Woe to that busha and woe to that klima. There is one level of shame that is felt when in the presence of true greatness or genius. While you may feel outclassed, it was nothing you did wrong. No average person kicks themselves saying “I could have been an Einstein”. But if a childhood classmate, as average as you makes good in his life –then you start kicking yourself. Thoughts of; “How did that happen, he`s was no better than me” start plaguing you. You realize that you have no-one to blame but yourself. This type of shame hurts, because you could have done something about it.
ReplyDeleteMoshe was like the radiant sun, when borne his very house lit up. Seeing this generates feelings of Busha. “Wow, look at him –I could never be that”. Seeing however the now radiant face of Yehoshuah –who both sat in the same class and was of the same class, generates feelings of Klima. Deep shame over opportunities lost. “Wow! I could have and should have been like him, I could have been a contender”.
Usually the guy that sat next to you in beis medrash and is now a rosh yeshiva or next to you in law school and is now a federal judge didn't leap ahead of you in one day. But there is one day you can point to in hindsight that is when he stared doing something small but meaningful that changed his trajectory.
The zekeinim realized that they could have done it as well. No giant leaps, no special talents –just consistent dedication to doing the correct thing. From dedicated serving of Moshe to setting up the chairs and serving man. Woe to that busha and woe to that klima.
The beams of light from Moshe’s face at end of כי תשא are called קרני הוד by מדרש תנחומא and the classic Mefarshim. Perhaps the GR”A felt Moshe’s הוד in Parshat Pinchas alludes to his קרני הוד, and in turn those represent his קבלת התורה מיד השם. For example, the קרני הוד are explained by a famous view in חז״ל as stemming from the extra ink on the quill Moshe used to write the Torah. See also Rashi on kohelet 8:1 reading חכמת אדם תאיר פניו ועז פניו ישונא as describing Moshe and the beams of light from his face. (That Rashi is cited in מוסף רשי on כי תשא in the fancy מקראות גדולות.)
ReplyDeleteIf so, then Moshe giving over to Yehoshua "from his הוד" can indeed be read as representing Moshe kibel Torah mi-Sinai u-mesarah le-Yehoshua.
That is the best I've heard yet (from Chaim)
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